Rebecca Gayheart
Place of Birth: Hazard, Perry, Kentucky, United States
Date of Birth: August 12, 1971
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, German, Irish
Rebecca Gayheart is an American model and actress. She is known for her roles in the films Nothing to Lose, Scream 2, Hairshirt, the Urban Legend franchise, Jawbreaker, From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter, Shadow Hours, Harvard Man, Pipe Dream, Santa’s Slay, G.B.F., and Grey Lady, and on television’s Loving, Vanishing Son, Earth 2, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Robin Cook’s Invasion. She was the “Noxzema girl” in the 1990s.
Rebecca is the daughter of Floneva, a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant, and Curtis Gayheart, a miner and coal truck driver. She was raised in Pine Top, Kentucky, and relocated to New York City, New York at fifteen, after winning a modeling contest. Rebecca is married to actor Eric Dane, with whom she has two children.
Rebecca has English, Scottish, German, and Irish ancestry. She is from a Southern Baptist religious background.
Various internet sources have stated that Rebecca also has Italian and Cherokee Native American ancestry. It is not clear if these lineages have been verified/documented.
Rebecca’s patrilineal line can be traced to Paul Frederich Gearheart, who was born, c. 1662, in Saxony, Germany.
Rebecca’s paternal grandfather was Frank “Bud” Gayheart (the son of Alexander “Alex” Gayheart and Molly/Mollie Manus/Manns). Frank was born in Kentucky. Alexander was the son of Allen “Buck” Gayheart and Sarah “Sally” Flannery. Molly was the daughter of John Wesley Mann/Manns and Elizabeth S./Stacy Risner.
Rebecca’s paternal grandmother was Beatrice Hoskins (the daughter of Charles/Charley Hoskins and Clara Roberts). Beatrice was born in Kentucky. Charles was the son of Farmer Hoskins and Margaret/Margeret Hayes. Clara was the daughter of Lucinda Bowling or Couch.
Rebecca’s maternal grandfather was Ollis Slone (the son of Farris/Faris/Pharis Slone and Mary Elizabeth Reynolds). Ollis was born in Kentucky. Farris was the son of John Pigman Slone and Christina Branham Smith. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of John J. Reynolds and Mary Elizabeth Slone.
Rebecca’s maternal grandmother was Ollie Geraldine Tolliver (the daughter of D./Dock Harvey Tolliver and Mary/Marry Polly/Potter). Ollie was born in Kentucky. Dock was the son of Melvin Burton Tolliver and Arminda “R.” A. Baker. Mary/Marry was the daughter of John Henry Polly and Lettishia “Lettie” Craft‏.
Sources: Genealogy of Rebecca Gayheart (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.geni.com
Rebecca’s paternal grandfather, Frank “Bud” Gayheart, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Rebecca’s maternal aunt (her mother’s sister), Mary Ann (Slone) Mullins – http://web1.lovinghonors.com
Rebecca’s maternal grandfather, Ollis Slone, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rebecca’s maternal great-grandparents, Farris/Faris/Pharis Slone and Mary Elizabeth Reynolds, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandfather, Farris/Faris/Pharis Slone – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Rebecca’s maternal grandmother, Ollie Geraldine Tolliver – https://familysearch.org
http://danmohn.net
Rebecca’s maternal grandmother, Ollie Geraldine Tolliver, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandfather, D./Dock Harvey Tolliver – http://yeahpot.com
Genealogy of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Arminda “R.” A. (Baker) Tolliver – https://www.findagrave.com
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=156438042
http://yeahpot.com/tolliver/melvinburton.php
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/d-harvey-toliver_76812447
delete this: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=dmohn&id=I116302
We don’t know much about her mother’s side, maybe it’s where her Irish/Italian ancestry might come from
I couldn’t determine which of the Slones was her grandfather, but using her aunt’s obituary I managed to determine the grandmother:
http://web1.lovinghonors.com/cgi-bin/CompanyInternal?stdout+116+hindmanfuneralservices.com+102+17+3182
Rebecca’s mother:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHN-HTHB
Rebecca’s uncles:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHF-5C3X
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHP-GYGH
Rebecca’s aunt:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHN-CMXX
What I believe is Rebecca’s grandmother:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH1-FJQN
The Italian is from the Toliver line, but it goes to early 16th century, so it’s negligible.
I found an Elis Slone, but no Ollis:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHV-HBWW
I also found an Odis Slone on 1920’s census. In the 1930’s census his family is on the same census page as Geraldine’s but he’s not on it.
Ollis Slone was taken for an Alice Slone on the 1930 U.S. Census.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMXV-43G
I haven’t been able to find any Italian or Native American ancestry within the last two-three hundred years, either.
@bablah
“Toliver” family is not related to the Taliaferros of Italian origin. It’s confirmed by DNA (https://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=H38328&Group=Taliaferros-Toliver)
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=88623382
http://www.ingenweb.org/inorange/familyfiles/toliver_family.htm